Heatgun Home Coffee Roasting

The simplest hands-on roasting method (if we forget about wok roasting) is heatgun roasting. You'll need the following:

1. A heatgun capable of providing at least 500 F degrees, and air flow of 14 CFM. The higher the wattage the better. An adjustable power setting is preferred. Makita is one of the best heatgun brands. The heatgun I have successfully used was 2000W and priced only 11 euro!
2. A roasting vessel. This could be an adequately sized stainless steel dogbowl, or even better a stoneware bowl. The bigger the roast batch the bigger the bowl. Using a classic dogbowl as a typical example, a 32 oz. bowl accommodates one cup of beans by volume.
3. A long wooden spoon for stirring.

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Begin by assembling all the equipment and pour one cup 180ml green coffee beans into the bowl. Put the dogbowl Outside the house or in a covered and very well-ventilated area (this method does produce copious amounts of chaff and roasting smoke), put the dogbowl on a heatproof surface. Start up the heatgun (I use the high setting of my 2000W heatgun) and hold the muzzle of the gun approximately 10cm from the surface of the beans, stirring continuously with your other hand. After approximately four to six minutes, the beans will begin to smell grassy and turn a light tan in color. After a while the beans will become lighter and get a cinnamon color. Chaff will start to blows off the surface of the beans. Move the muzzle closer or further from the surface of the bean mass as dictated by how fast the roast is progressing, and and how fast you want it to go. Just don't burn any beans!

At approximately 7 minutes, you should reach first crack, and second crack at about 8-9 minutes. The second crack is usually less noticeable and quicker than the first roast, and produces more smoke. I advise you to stop the roast at the start of second crack, the first time you home-roast. When the roast is complete, quickly dump the beans into a metal colander or cool the beans in the usual fashion. If the heatgun has a 'cool' setting, turn the heatgun to cool and let it run for a few minutes until it is cool to the touch. This will extend the life of the heating element in the heatgun.

The time to complete a roast also varies by volume; a one cup roast typically takes about seven minutes, a two cup roast typically takes about eleven minutes and a three cup roast typically takes about 14-16 minutes (these times do not include cooling). If you like roasts with more brightness/acidity especially for your drip coffee or french press, experiment with quicker roasts. Decaf coffees will generally roast in less time for the same volume of coffee.

The total time is very dependent on volume, heatgun used, the roasting vessel used, ambient temperature and operator technique. If you are roasting in very cold temperatures, the roast time may be prolonged or you may want to put the roasting vessel into a heatproof box, tall stockpot or other container to help retain the heat. The best guide to the roasting process will be your eyes and ears as you monitor the roast.